The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1887-04-11

the appeals of consecrated men,
and have made notable progress in
Christian understanding and prac-
tice, it does not follow that such
momentum will carry the next ge-
neration along the same channel.
Especially is it necessary that each
generation should be under the
sway of forces adapted to its needs,
when the population thus influenced
has n constant gravitation toward
heathenism.
The present is an ere Of spiritual
declensiOn and moral obliquity,
very largely because there has been
no adequate reinforcement Of the
work of other days. Unfortunately
the momentum of the early work
has not carried this people safely
through the trying ordeal of main
tanning religious belief and practice
in the face of the larger influx of
ungodly men from Christian lands
who have not only poisoned the
simple faith of other days but have
led the way back to vicious and
and abandoned lives. " I"
Moral and spiritual forces are losing
their grip on the native race, not
because the Hawaiian people are not
susceptible to Gospel truth, but be-
cause the forces employed to offset
and counterfeit the tremendous
downward tendency, are shamefully
inadequate. But Of far greater i'm
portance than this steady diminution
of forces, and the social and indus
trial revolution in Hawaiian life, is
the absence of the profoundly con-
secrated spirit of the fathers. 1t
was this spirit which initiated the
work among the Hawaiians, which
brought the nation back to the
Christian faith after repeated de-
clensions that sustained and nur-
tured the spiritual life of this peo-
pie during the brightest period in
its history. The tone of discourage
ment and of doubt as to the spirit
ual recuperation of our Hawaiian
churches is not born of q confident
trust in Gods purpose toward this
people. 1t is not in keeping with
the remarkable response to recent
efforts in the interests of Hawaiian
Christianity. The element that is
neened to vitalize all effort in behalf
of Hawaiians is a consecrated spirit
that sees in the predominant Goddess
ness a Gospel opportunity; that
fully recognizes the power of Gospel
truth and that it is competent to
change the whole complexion OF
things as they are, and to usher in
an era of righteousness and OF
spiritual growth; that allows full
play to the underlying principle in
this whole matter that the descen-
dants of the missionaries and their
coadjutors in religious work are
largely responsible for the perpetual
ton of Christian endeavor among
the aborigines of these Islands.
This obligation cannot be shifted
though it may and shouldlbe shared
by the descendants of those who
sustained the early missionaries in
this field. God has not eliminated
His work in behalf Of this people.
The Gospel is yet the power Of God
unto salvation, TO the Hawaiian
first, and also to all the races that
seek these shores. Well might Pau
have been dsmaycd at the eloquent
and refined and all-pervasive
heathenism of the vast Roman Elm.
pire. But in the light of his
courageous faith and confident be-
lief in Gods purpose and power
we may well bow ourselves in humi
liation If we halt or hesitate in re
deeming our obligation to this peo
pie in their hour of sorest need.
The preacher here alluded to thu
obliviousness OF tho mass Of Ha
waiian Christians to the pressing
spiritual necessity that is upor
them, pointing out that the drift o
the present declension is not under
stood by the average Hawaiian, ant
asking, show can he be awake to
spiritual need Of which he is un
cbnsciousp'
Mr.. Oleson then said, "there is
generation of Hawaiians, almost,
not quite, ready for citizenship, VIII
have been practically without TIN
means of Gospel instruction and In
centiye. The wndward side o
Hawaii has now one native pastor
where few years ago there wer
two foreign and four native pastor
ofHawaiian churches. isit any won
der that churches are closed an
every little hamlet is n rendezvou
for heather orgies when helPfu